Submerged object lifting device



Nov. 28, 1967' J. R. ANNIBALE 3,354,356

SUBMERGED OBJECT LIFTING DEVICE Filed March 16, 1966 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR, JOSEPH R. ANN/BALE Nov. 28, 1967 J. R. ANNIBALE 3,354,355

SUBMERGED OBJECT LIFTING DEVICE Filed. March 16, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVENTOR.

JOSEPH R. ANN/BALE BY l ATTX

1967 J. R. ANNIBALE 3,354,856

SUBMERGED OBJECT LIFTING DEVICE 7 Filed March 16, 1966 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH R. ANN/BALE ATTY.

United States Patent 3,354,856 SUBMERGED OBJECT LIFTING DEVICE Joseph R. Annibale, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Mar. 16, 1966, Ser. No. 536,588 7 Claims. (Cl. 114-51) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An ,apparatus adapted to lift submerged objects. The apparatus is vertically lowered until the center portion thereof contacts the submerged object at which time the flexible radially extending arms tend to enwrap the submerged object. Suction cups are provided on the underside of said apparatus to attach the apparatus to the object for subsequent lifting of the apparatus and submerged object.

The present invention relates to a submerged object lifting device and more particularly to a submerged object lifting device that utilizes .a plurality of suction elements to accomplish the required attachment to the object to be lifted.

In the past, various devices have been used to raise objects from the oceans floor. The device thus far employed have been cumbersome, expensive and difficult to position over the submerged vessel, capsule or other submerged objects.

Often these devices require complicated surface equipment, elaborate tubing from the surface of the water to the device, and employ lifting devices that are not adaptable to variously shaped objects.

Additionally, devices of the prior art often require the presence of divers in the vicinity of the object to position and attach the device. These defects in the prior art devices are particularly apparent when the lift must be made from great depths where, for example, free divers cannot operate.

The device of the present invention overcomes the disadvantages of prior art devices and provide a means for lifting submerged objects under conditions that heretofore made their lifting impossible or impractical.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide and improved device for lifting submerged objects.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved lifting device that is easily positioned over a submerged object.

It is still another object to provide an improved lifting device that flexibly conforms to the shape of the object to be lifted.

It is a final object of the invention to provide an improved lifting device that requires no pneumatic connection to a surface vessel.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description of one specific embodiment thereof when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like components are designated by like reference numerals and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective representation of the device being affixed to a space capsule with the assistance of the Trieste deep submergence craft;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the lifting device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of one of the arms shown in FIG. 2;

3,354,856 Patented Nov. 28, 1967 FIG. 4 is a section through one of the arms of the device of the invention taken along line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a section illustrating the construction of one of the suction cups used in the device, the section being taken along line 55 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the central housing of the device showing the details of the piping and vacuum system.

The general construction of the device may be best seen by reference to FIG. 1 wherein the device is designated by reference numeral 10. Three arms 12, 14 and 16 are visible and are in position on a capsule 18 which rests on the ocean floor 20. Lifting cable 22 and power cable 24 extend toward the ocean's surface. The positioning ship 26 (Trieste) is shown employing a positioning eye 28 and arm 30 to locate the device on the Object to be lifted.

The underside of the one specific embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 2. The device is shown to comprise five arms 12, 14, 16, 32 and 34, all five arms being identical in structure. The arms are shown to be integrally connected to central portion 35. The use of a smaller or greater number of arms is specifically contemplated, for example, the device might employ three arms or eight arms depending on the flexibility desired or the lifting power needed. FIG. 2 shows the device as including a large central suction cup 36 and numerous smaller cups, exemplary ones of which are indicated by reference numeral 38. The smaller cups are spaced along the undersides of the five arms which radiate from the central portion 35 as well as on the central portion itself. Of course the arms may be made of any reasonable length and more or less cups of varying sizes may be employed. However, four inch suction cups are specifically contemplated since they provide for adequate flexibility without unduly multiplying the number of cups and the necessary tubing. For a twenty-four foot overall diameter device, approximately one-hundred and ninety of the four inch cups would be employed.

As can be seen from the top plan view (FIG. 3) of one of the arms 34 of the device, the arms are tapered from the center to the outer ends thereof. An elongated opening, surrounded by reinforcing bead 37, is provided in the top of each leg to admit water pressure to the interiors thereof. Each of the suction cups 38 is connected with a separate tube 40. These tubes are arranged in bundles by straps 42 and extend toward the center of the device. At the outer extremity of arm 34, there is afiixed a lifting lug 43. FIG. 3 also shows arm 34 as including a sack member 44. The sack member on the five arms are made of the same flexible material as the arms and each has an internal cavity (not shown) which is accessible through a valve 46. Each valve 46 is electrically controlled through wiring (not shown) which extends to the central housing of the device and is connected to the power cable. Sack member 44 is designed so as to be capable of receiving relatively large quantities of steel shot or other ballast material. This ballast material may be dumped by the actuation of the valves 46 for purposes explained more fully hereinafter. The valve itself may be of any several conventional electro-mechanical types capable of operating at great depths.

Referring now to FIG. 4, and the section through one of the arms of the device, it can be seen that each of the tubes 40 is gathered together and secured by a strap 48. Strap 48 is in turn positioned within the arms by a securing member 50. Strap 48 is similar to straps 42 shown in FIG. 3, but, in FIG. 3, the respective securing members 50 were not shown for purposes of clarity.

The body 52 of the arm is constructed of resilient flexible material such as synthetic rubber or plastic and may contain nylon or other cord reinforcement as shown at 54. The cups 38 are formed integrally with the body of the arm and are also reinforced.

A single cup 38 and a portion of its associated tube are shown in FIG. 5. At the center of the cup is a vacuum fitting 56 which in the specific embodiment is generally cylindrical and extends radially through the center of the cup. This fitting may be formed with the body 52 as in integral part thereof or may be pressed into place after the forming of the body. Enlarged portions 58 and 60 retain the fitting in place. Tube 40 is pressed over butt end 62 of the fitting and is retained by a spring clip 63 which presses the tubing 40 into depression 66 in the fitting. It will be noted that the tubing 40 is heavy walled to avoid crushing under pressure. Also important to the operation of the device is the relatively small bore in bo h the fitting and the tubing. The reason for this feature will be explained hereinafter.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section of the central housing 67 of the device. Shown there is a large central cup 36 and the passage 68 therethrough providing pneumatic access to a chamber 70 in housing 67. Also providing access to the chamber 70 is a manifold 72 around the housing 67. The manifold consists of a plurality of pipes 74 fixedly received in radially extending bores through housing 67. The pipes are sealed in the bores to prevent the entrance of pressure to chamber 70 and extend to the exterior of the housing so that the tubes 40 may be forced thereover and attached by suitable means. Several of the tubes 40 are shown connected at their one extremity to the manifold and at the other to a suction cup. Within the chamber 70 is located a conventional self-priming pump (not shown). The pump must be able to draw a vacuum in air as well as in water and discharges through pipe 71. It is driven by a motor (not shown) located in upper portion 73 of control housing 67. This chamber is sealed and filled with a silicon base or other oil to prevent the ingress of water. An oil reservoir 75 provides a reserve supply of oil in case of minor leakage and allows the unit to compensate for changes in the oil volume due to pressure changes during use.

In use, the device would normally be carried on a surface ship. Because of its flexibility and configuration it may be arranged so as to take a minimum of cargo or deck space. When it is desired to retrieve a sunken object, the approximate weight of the article to be retrieved is determined and the properly sized device selected. If a great weight is involved, a plurality of the devices may be employed. The selection process will depend not only on weight but upon whether a direct lift to the deck of this ship is planned. Such a direct lift would require larger or more numerous lifting devices because of an objects greater weight in air than in water. Approximately 54 cups pulling a perfect vacuum would be required for each 10,000 lbs. (or approximately 24,000 lbs. for the 24 foot diameter device) lifted in air whereas the same 54 cups could be expected to lift a much greater amount while the object lifted remains submerged. Thus, it may be advisable, where the weight of the object to be lifted exceeds the lifting power in air of the device or devices to be employed, to lift the object only to the near surface and then attach auxiliary lifting devices such as cargo winches to assist in the final lift to the deck.

In operation, the device is readied for use by coating thesuction cups with oil (preferably silicon base oil) to facilitate sealing on the object to be lifted. The sack members 44 are filled with enough steel shot or other ballast material to increase the mass of the device so that it will sink to the required depth and cause the arms to drape over and conform to the objects shape. The valves d6 are then actuated to the closed position and the device 18 lowered over the side suspended from cable 22. Also attached to the device is power cable 24 used to power the motor and valves. After the device is completely submerged, the pump is actuated to purge the tubes of air. As can be seen from FIG... 3, the tops of the arms are open so as to allow the water to fill every cavity, leaving no entrapped air.

The device is then allowed to sink under its own weight and that of the ballast until it reaches the depth of the object to be lifted. If a relatively shallow depth is involved, final positioning may be accomplished by maneuvering of the ship or its lifting winch booms; however, at greater depth, assistance in final positioning can be provided by an underwater craft such as the Trieste. Such a vessel 26 is shown positioning the device in FIG. 1. After positioning, the eye 28 may be jettisoned by vessel 26, and the arm 30 disengaged.

The actual attachment of the device is facilitated by its unique construction, the plurality of arms being sufficiently flexible to conform to the shape of the object to be lifted. The arms and their associated suction cups are forced into intimate contact by the action of the ballast contained in the sack members. It may be advantageous for certain shaped objects to suspend each arm individually from auxiliary cables attached at one end to the main cable and at the other end to the lifting lugs 43 at the end of each arm whereby the device may be first positioned over the object and the arms then released into contact with the object. Normally however, the considerable surface area of the sacks will be acted on by the water as the device is lowered causing the arms to droop less toward the vertical and the arms will therefore be maintained in good position for obtaining contact with the surface of the object to be lifted.

If after the device is finally positioned, several of the individual suction cups are not in intimate contact with the object, the lift may still be made. The tubes 40 and fittings 56 are designed to have a relatively small bore. This constructed bore is sufiicient to allow the removal of the relatively small quantities of fluid in the tubing and the cup itself in a short period of time. But the volume of fluid that moves through a plurality of tubes whose associated cups are not in sealing contact with the object to be lifted is not sufiicient to approach the capacity of the pump, and the other cups served by the pump may still be evacuated.

After approximately five minutes have elapsed, the pump is kept in operation and the lift is begun. The lift is made slowly at first to determine whether adequate suction power to effect the lift has been developed. When it is determined that the object is secure, the lift would then be temporarily stopped and the valves 46 actuated to the open position and the ballast contained in sacks 44 there by dumped. With the consequent lightening of the load, the lift can be completed and the object recovered.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A submerged object lifting device comprising:

a flexible supporting means having a central portion and a plurality of arms radially extending from said central portion;

a plurality of suction cup means, attached to the central portion and to the radially extending portions of said supporting means, for attaching said supporting means to a submerged object;

a suction producing means attached to said supporting means;

tube means, connected to said suction producing means and to said suction cups, for allowing the passage of fluid from said suction cups to said suction producing mean to thereby reduce the pressure within the chambers formed between said suction cups and the submerged objects;

mass controlling means attached to said arms comprising:

container means;

ballast means; and

valve means;

said container means being attached to said supporting means for containing said ballast means;

said valve means being attached to said container means for operatively controlling the discharging of said ballast means from said container means.

2. A submerged object lifting device comprising:

a flexible supporting means having a central portion and a plurality of arms radially extending from said central portion;

a plurality of suction cup means, attached to the central portion and to the radially extending portions of said supporting means, for attaching said supporting means to a submerged object;

a suction producing means attached to said supporting means;

tube means, connected to said suction producing means and to said suction cups, for allowing the passage of fluid from said suction cups to said suction producing means to thereby reduce the pressure within the chambers formed between said suction cups and the ubmerged object;

mass controlling means comprising:

container means;

ballast means; and

valve means;

said container means being attached adjacent to the outer ends of said support arms for containing said ballast means, said balla t means tending to cause said arms to enwrap an object;

said valve means being attached to said container means for operatively controlling the discharge of said ballast means from said container means after said arms have been attached to the submerged object.

3. The device of claim 1 further including a large suction cup means, attached to the central portion of said supporting means, for attaching said supporting means to a submerged object.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein said suction cups are integrally formed in the material of said supporting means.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said arms are hollow and are open to admit water pressure to the interior of said arms.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said suction producing means includes a pump means of suflicient capacity to exceed the volume of fluid admitted to the system through said suction cups so that if a plurality of suction cups are not in sealing contact with the object, the other suction cups may still be evacuated.

7. The device of claim 6 further including a tubular fitting protruding from the surface of said body and extending into the center of each suction cup, said fitting being attached to said tube means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,347,491 4/ 1944 Lente 114-51 3,152,828 10/1964 Lytle 294-64 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,196,336 7/1965 Germany.

ANDREW H. FARRELL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SUBMERGED OBJECT LIFTING DEVICE COMPRISING: A FLEXIBLE SUPPORTING MEANS HAVING A CENTRAL PORTION AND A PLURALITY OF ARMS RADIALLY EXTENDING FROM SAID CENTRAL PORTION; A PLURALITY OF SUCTION CUP MEANS, ATTACHED TO THE CENTRAL PORTION AND TO THE RADIALLY EXTENDING PORTIONS OF SAID SUPPORTING MEANS, FOR ATTACHING SAID SUPPORTING MEANS TO A SUBMERGED OBJECT; A SUCTION PRODUCING MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID SUPPORTING MEANS; TUBE MEANS, CONNECTED TO SAID SUCTION PRODUCING MEANS AND TO SAID SUCTION CUPS, FOR ALLOWING THE PASSAGE OF FLUID FROM SAID SUCTION CUPS TO SAID SUCTION PRODUCING MEANS TO THEREBY REDUCE THE PRESSURE WITHIN THE CHAMBERS FORMED BETWEEN SAID SUCTION CUPS AND THE SUBMERGED OBJECTS; MASS CONTROLLING MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID ARMS COMPRISING: CONTAINER MEANS; BALLAST MEANS; AND VALVE MEANS; SAID CONTAINER MEANS BEING ATTACHED TO SAID SUPPORTING MEANS FOR CONTAINING SAID BALLAST MEANS; SAID VALVE MEANS BEING ATTACHED TO SAID CONTAINER MEANS FOR OPERATIVELY CONTROLLING THE DISCHARGE ING OF SAID BALLAST MEANS FROM SAID CONTAINER MEANS. 